Brief outline of program or event:
The Stories to Solve series by George Shannon is a fun vehicle to introduce children to different countries. Each short folktale (average six paragraphs) ends with a word puzzle that challenges children to think outside of the box to solve a mystery. Indicate on a map the country of origin of the tale you are going to tell. Displaying hats, flags, or other items from the country adds another dimension, as would a Smart Board demonstration of appropriate websites or databases providing country facts. Share interesting gestures, social customs, eating habits, etc. obtained from CultureGrams. After the story is read aloud, the children, who have been split up into small groups, work together to solve each mystery. Provide each group with pencil, paper and a copy of the story. Some of the stories lend themselves to a visual solution. For those tales, make copies of the “answer” illustration from the book and cut each one into small squares. Give each group a set of squares to assemble to solve the puzzle.

Audience: Public library program attendees, school classes or assemblies; classes in children´s literature.

Books used:
Depends on books cited by foreign students

Materials needed:
Books mentioned above, plus American riddle books

Brief outline of program or event:
Have the children/audience give any riddles they know of that use common objects or places as the answers. Compare the difference in riddling language and strategy when describing an egg, for example. My favorite riddle of all time and one I use frequently as an introduction to an African story program ( riddles are often used to open storytelling in Africa) is this one: “I pass the living, they are silent; I pass the dead, they speak to me.” What are they? The answer: Leaves

Books used:
Riddles in THE STORY VINE (Pellowski, Simon & Schuster); Riddles in FOLKTALES AND FOLKLORE OF MONGOLIA (Dashdondog Jamba, Libraries Unlimited); other titles in this series also include riddles; LAUGHING TOGETHER – BARBARA WALKER and many other true riddle books

Materials needed:
Books about the countries from which the students come, especially if there are any translated books, even adult books.

Brief outline of program or event:
For those schools, libraries or other agencies with a university in the community, approach the Foreign Students´ Office (or Adviser) and ask for volunteers from 3 0r 4 students from different countries (offer a small stipend if possible) to give a short summary of their favorite book when they were growing up in their country. If it was a translation of an internationally known book, have copies of those available. If it was a book known only nationally, see if they can either get a copy sent or at least get a few photos of pages and illustrations from the book sent by family and friends in their home countries.